Clearing blade for snowplows



1969 G. REISSINGER CLEARING BLADE FOR SNOWPLOWS Filed Aug. 6, 1965United States Patent ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A clearing device forattachment to a snowplow which comprises a clearing blade having aforwardly directed front surface, and a support carrying the blade. Aroll sector is pivotally secured to the support and has a front face.Spring suspension means are disposed between the support and the rollsector, in order to permit a swinging movement of the roll sector. Thelatter has in its normal position the upper end of its front faceadjacent the lower end of the clearing blade. A clearing strip ispivotally connected to the lower end of the front face of the rollsector. Limiting means are secured to the bottom of the roll sectorwhich limits the swinging movement of the clearing strip by engagementof the latter with the limiting means.

The present invention relates to a clearing blade for snowplows with aclearing strip being pivoted beneath the edge of the clearing blade andgiving way resiliently at impediments.

With clearing blades of the known kind, e.g. the pivoted clearing stripturns backwards impinging onto an impediment against the resistance ofshearing bolts or strong springs. This requires, that the clearing stripis approximately vertical, in order that it gives way backwardly withoutan excessively strong vertical movement of the whole plow. However, aclearing strip being that steep has to be pressed continuously with highpressure onto the roadway, if a satisfactory effect of clearing isdesired.

For this reason the clearing strip has to be pivoted to a plow blade insuch manner, that is forms an acute angle in the direction of theclearing. When impinging upon an impediment, it gives way at firstupwardly and then backwardly, if it is connected to the clearing bladeby way of parallelogram guide rods cooperating with springs and shearingbolts. However, at a quick clearing the suddenly occurring resistance ofan impediment is too large, so that damages of the roadway of the plowhappen frequently, as at first the shearing bolts have to be knockedoff.

A clearing strip is known, too, which is pivoted by way of a springloaded hinge joint to a connecting bar cooperating with a stop at theclearing blade, whereby the two strips are arranged in such manner, thattheir back faces form an obtuse angle in the normal position of theclearing blade and that one or more tightenable springs are connected tothe connecting strip by way of at least one lever attached thereto. Thissolution has the advantage, that the clearing strip, being arranged atan acute angle towards the front removes the snow in a very good mannerfrom the road. However, there is the disadvantage, that the clearingstrip and the connecting strip enlarge the distance to the clearingblade, so that the snow taken up remains lying in a trough.

It is one object of the present invention to provide a clearing bladefor snowplows, wherein the connecting strip is displaced behind theblade, so that'no dead room is formed in the blade trough, as the snowis directed upwards immediately behind the clearing strip. A roll sectoris attached to the connecting strip, which closes the lower edge of theclearing blade with respect to the clearing strip.

With this and other objects in view which will become apparent in thefollowing detailed description, the present invention will be clearlyunderstood in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is an elevation, partly in section, of a clearing blade incleaning position; and FIG. 2 is a similar elevation of the clearingstrip giving way to an impediment.

Referring now to the drawing, a clearing blade 1 is in known mannerattached in front of a clearing vehicle and can be lifted and loweredand even pivoted transversely to the driving direction. A clearing strip2 is connected to a spring loaded hinge joint 4 by means of a clampingdevice 3. A roll sector 7 includes a limitation means 8 in the form ofan inwardly directed abutment for limiting the turning of the clearingstrip 2 as shown in FIG. 2. The roll sector 7 is pivoted in a U-shapedmember 6 by means of a tube 5 welded thereto. Spring elements 10, whichalso could cooperate with shock absorbers (not shown) are movablyscrewed in the spring suspensions 9 and 11. A support 12 provides anabutment for the spring means 10. A sickle-shaped stiffening device 13serves, as usual, for the reinforcement of the blade -1.

The roll sector 7 being disposed below the lower edge of the blade 1,closes the space between the lower edge of the blade 1 and the clearingstrip 2 in each position of the clearing strip 2. In FIG. 2 the clearingstrip 2 is shown at the passage over an impediment 1'. The roll sector 7is thereby pressed upwards by the clearing strip 2, which turns upwardsand is raised before the impedi lment from its position, i.e. inclinedtowards the front. The spring elements 10 effect thereby an adjustable,i.e. variable resistance. They press the roll sector 7 again into thenormal position according to FIG. 1, after a short lift of the blade 1by its lifting device and the turning of the clearing strip 2 madepossible thereby.

The roll sector 7 has a further function. The quantities of snow takenup by the clearing strip 2 slide upwards thereon and are not, as usual,pressed into the blade trough and come in contact with a protrusion 8 ofthe roll sector 7, which protrusion 8 operates as the limitation means.Thereby a change of direction of almost is achieved. The snow is thrownupwards, without being forced to slide up, the blade trough beingrelatively coarse. Thus, the snow is thrown a large distance, even atlow speed. A short distance from the clearing strip 2 to the blade 1 andthe forced change of direction of the snow at the protrusion 8 of theroll sector 7 are here cooperating.

It is advantageous to construct the roll sector 7 by screwing togethersteel sheets. Damages occurring in the course of utilization cantherefore be repaired quite easily.

The effect of the curvature of the roll sector 7 is independent from theformation of the resilient clearing strip 2. The effect even occurs, ifa snowplow of normal construction has a blade formed accordingly or anextension welded to the lower edge of the blade 1 or attached in anothermanner. The essential fact is, that the snow does not come into contactwith the blade 1 gradually, but is thrown up abruptly and contactsthereby a part of the blade only.

The higher density of trafiic demands higher clearing speeds as informer times, if the clearing vehicle is not to be an obstacle for theflowing traflic. Raised speed causes a considerable wind pressure at thelarge surface of the clearing blade 1. Thus, the snow is pressed evenmore onto the blade trough, thus subjected to higher friction; and thethrowing distance is worsened.

For avoiding these drawbacks, according to a further feature of thepresent invention, a wind shield is arranged in a suitable distance infront of the clearing blade 1. This shield can be extended over thecomplete length of the clearing blade 1 or can cover a part of thelatter only, whereby its height is preferably of the height of theblade 1. The shield might have an adjusting device for the height andside position and can thus be adapted to the prevailing snow and windconditions. FIG. 1 shows the device schematically. The locking devicehas a longitudinal axis 14 and has two or more holding arms 15, the formof which is designed to provide the lowest resistance with respect tothe thrown out snow. A longitudinal axis 16 is spring loaded e.g. by arubber torsion spring. The axes 14 and 16 cooperate such, that a windshield 17 yields resiliently in vertical and horizontal direction uponengaging an impediment. Also a suspension, which is more rigid can bechosen, whereby the shield 17 is supported with respect to the clearingblade 1 at other positions several times. The shown suspension of thewind shield 17 has the purpose of, suspending the shield 17 verticallydownwards, as well as of adjusting the same turned away or inclined tothe blade 1. Furthermore, the wind shield 17 can be thus adjusted such,that it is in parallel with the length of the plow blade 1 or at anacute angle thereto. The wind shield 17 and the holding arms 15 aresecured in any conventional manner to maintain them in any pivotedposition about the axis 16 and the axis 14, respectively. If largeamounts of snow are to be cleared, it is possible that the shield 17 isa drawback. In such cases it is turned upwards to the rear afterloosening a lock (not shown) and forms thus an extension of the upperpart of the clearing blade 1.

The Wind shield itself has a form being favourable with respect tostream conditions for the intended purpose; not only metals but alsosuitable plastics can be used.

While I have disclosed one embodiment of the present invention, it is tobe understood that this embodiment is given by example only and not in alimiting sense.

I claim:

1. In a clearing device for attachment to a snowplow vehicle, thecombination which comprises:

a clearing blade having a forwardly directed front surface and having alower end thereof,

a support carrying said blade,

a sector of a roller pivotally secured to said support at 45 a pivotconnection spaced from said lower end of said clearing blade and havinga front peripheral face movably disposed relative and adjacent to saidlower end of said clearing blade, spring suspension means disposedbetween said support and said sector, in order to permit a swingingmovement of said sector, the latter in its normal posi tion having theupper end of said front peripheral face adjacent said lower end of saidclearing blade, and a clearing strip pivotally connected to the lowerend of the front peripheral face of said sector. 2. The clearing device,as set forth in claim 1, which includes:

a wind shield pivotally secured to and extending spaced apart from, asWell as in front of said clearing blade. 3. The clearing blade, as setforth in claim 2, wherein: said wind shield is operatively suspendedfrom and substantially parallel to said clearing blade. 4. The clearingblade, as set forth in claim 2, wherein: said wind shield is operativelysuspended from and ad justably positioned with respect to said clearingblade. 5. The clearing blade, as set forth in claim 1, which includes:

a U-shaped member secured to the lower rear end of said support, and atube secured to the rear end of said roll sector and received in saidU-shaped member, in order to permit said swinging movement of saidsector relative to said support. 6. The clearing device, as set forth inclaim 1, further comprising:

abutment means secured to the bottom of said sector and adapted forlimiting said swinging movement of said clearing strip by abutment ofthe latter with said abutment means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,728,032 9/ 1929 Bising 37423,014,289 12/1961 Torrey 37-50 3,199,234 8/1965 Reissinger 37-42 FOREIGNPATENTS 313,333 5/ 1956 Switzerland.

ABRAHAM G. STONE, Primary Examiner.

ALAN E. KOPECKI, Assistant Examin'er.

